1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to an attachment for a running board mounted so that the running board is positioned apart from the vehicle body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Running boards, which are also referred to as step boards, step tubes, step bars, and nerf bars, are common attachments to vehicles, especially trucks, for both aesthetic and functional purposes. While many styles exist, running boards can be categorized as either flush-mount or extended-mount. Flush-mount running boards directly engage the vehicle body. Examples of flush-mount running boards are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,083,129 issued on U.S. Pat. No. 7,083,179 to Chapman, et al., and U.S. Design Pat. No. D513,398, issued on Jan. 3, 2006 to Kozak, et al. Extended-mount running boards are held away from the vehicle body by the mounting brackets, which creates a gap between the vehicle body and the running board. Extended-mount running boards allow the running board to be positioned below the vehicle body height, which may be advantageous for assisting with entry into vehicles having a high ground clearance. Examples of extended-mount running boards are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,334,807, issued on Feb. 26, 2008 to Mulder, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,287,770, issued on Oct. 30, 2007 to Drabant, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,946, issued on Jun. 24, 2003 to Lund, et al.